Ukrainians Seasick

In 2001 over 36,300 Ukrainians registered in [Ukraine’s] consulates were officially working abroad, including 1,400 those in CIS countries, Minister of Labor and Social Policy Ivan SAKHAN told Interfax Ukraine. Most of them work in Greece, Great Britain, Cyprus, Panama, and the Czech Republic in the spheres of sea and river transport, construction, service, industry, agriculture, and social security, Minister Sakhan noted. 28,600 Ukrainians working abroad (i.e. almost 78%) worked on sea transport, 3,500 (10%) in fishing, 1,400 (4%) on construction, and 461 (1,2%) in sales and public catering. There are 3,500 women and 32,600 men among them. The minister stressed that the interests of Ukrainian citizens temporarily working abroad are protected by bilateral agreements. At present Ukraine has signed such agreements with Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Moldova, Belarus, Latvia, Slovakia, and Armenia. By expert estimates, the number of Ukrainians working abroad illegally is tens of times larger.